Sink strainer valve and operating mechanism therefor



Sept. 28, 1948. y P. F. DONAHUE SINK STRANER VALVE AND OPERATINGMECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Oct. 25, 1945 1N VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 28, 1948 SINK STRAINER VALVE AN l) OPERATING MECHANISMTHEREFOR Patrick F. Donahue, Waterbury, Conn., assignor to ScovillManufacturing Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of ConnecticutApplication October 25, 1945, Serial No. 624,387

(Cl. L1--28'7) 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in sink strainer valvesand operating mechanism therefor, and resides in certain improvementsover the device disclosed in my similarly entitled co-pendingapplication Serial No. 545,689, led July 19, 1944.

An object of the present invention is to simplify the construction andmovement of sink plug valve operating devices in a manner which achievesthe lifting and opening of the valve byl a quick and easy application ofmechanical force with expenditure of a minimum of effort on the part ofthe housewife or other operator, and in which the closure of the valveis equally simple both from construction and operational standpointsaided by the action of gravity and the head of water which builds up inthe sink.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved operatingdevice for sink plug valves constructed and operable in conjunction witha crumb basket strainer wherein the stabilized condition of the basketstrainer seated in the body member or shell at the bottom of the sink istaken advantage of to constitute a guide for the vertica l reciprocatingmovement of the plug valve in relation to its seat in this same shell,to the end that ease of vertical operation is had together withleak-proof seating of the plug.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel forms of relatedstructures between the basket strainer and the plug valve and itsoperthe purpose of restraining the plug valve, usually of wide surfacearea, from undue wobbiing or4 sidewise chattering motion, while leavingthe plug free for self-aligning seating, such restraining and guidingmeans being both above and below the valve; all to the end of aiding thecam, eccentric or other operating device for smoothly insuring thelifting and lowering of the plug in a convenient and yquick manner andone in which tight seating of the plug will at all times take place inthe lowered position of the valve.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedoperating member of a novel form of construction and cooperating in anovel manner with the complemental guide members of the basket strainerand the plug valve, such 2 operating member having both a rotatable anda reciprocating motion with a handle construction complemental to thestrainer guide for automatically locking the plug valve in its openraised position; the invention further contemplating varied alternativeconstructions superimposed on the operating member to give a iirmer gripfor actuation upon said member.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the inventionwill be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a sink base construction illustrating thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 andshowing the plug valve in the raised or open position.

Figure 3 is a similar view with the plug valve closed.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a form of operating member shown inits application to the complemental guides which appear in broken lines.

Figure 5 is a similar view of a modified form of operating member.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 4 but showing a furthermodification.

Figure '7 is a top plan view of a sink base construction showing amodified form of plug operating member and basket strainer, and

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 8 8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the plug and its guidefeet and ribs.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I5 designates a body memberor shell adapted to be fitted in a conventional manner in the drainopening of the sink, indicated generally by the broken lines I6. Suchshells or bowls I5 are reduced at their lower ends I1 at which they arecustomarily provided with Valve seats I8. The reduced section I 'Iconnects with a drain pipe I9 in the usual way.

The drain plug or valve is indicated generally at 20, the same beingshaped to cooperate with the seat I8, as indicated in Figure 3. Suchplug 2E! reciprocates vertically between the positions indicatedgenerally in Figures 2 and 3 and it is roughly guided in this verticalmovement by a plug stem 2l which rises centrally therefrom and which hasa relatively loose slidable fit within a guide sleeve 23 carried by thebasket strainer 22 and rigidly aflixed therein as indicated at 24.

The basket strainer 22 is received Within the shell or body I androtated therein by some such cooperating parts as a flanged rim 25 ofthe basket fitted into a recess 26 of the body member l5. The rim 25simply drops into the recess 26. The basket can be removed from the bodymember for the purpose of removing the crumbs caught therein.

An undercut conical projection 28 on the shank 29 fits into acomplementary socket 21 drilled into the end of the stem 2 I, and theupper edge of said stem is forced inwardly so as to embrace the conicalprojection. Such shank 29 has a sliding fit in a plain opening 33 in theupper end of the guide sleeve 23 which is provided by the perforatedhead wall or inturned flange 3| of such sleeve 23.

rihe upwardly projecting end of the shank 29 carries the operatingmember generally indicated at 32. This member comprises side walls 33and 34 flanking the upper portion of the shank 29 with the outer edgesof the walls being curved and connected by a similarly curved bridgewall 35. The structure may be conveniently made from sheet metal withthe opposing substantially parallel and approximately vertica1 walls 33and 34 rotatably secured to the shank 29 as by a pin 36. 'Ihe loweredges 31 of the side walls 33, 34 are so shaped and fashioned withreference to the rotational axis of movement of the operating member 32,which axis is the horizontal axis of the pin 36, that such lower edges3`| constitute in eifect cams or eccentrios. These cam edges 31 aredisposed above the head 3| of the xed guide sleeve 23 whereby the guidesleeve 23 not only functions in cooperation with the stem 2l to guidethe vertically reciprocating motion of the plug 20 but also incooperating with the operating member to assist in thev elevatingmovement of the plug.

The profile edges 31 are so contoured that the two cams provided by thetwo parallel side walls 33 and 34 at diametrically opposite sides of theshank 29 have their low points near the rotational axis 36 and theirhigh points or lobes 4B (Figure 4) remote from this axis 36. A cut-awayportion 38 in the bridge wall 35 at the proximate end of the operatingmember enables such member to rotate around the upper end portion of theshank 29. The side walls 33 and 34 are incurved at 39 adjacent the lobes46 and tail pieces or curved extension Walls 40 extend beyond theincurved portions 39, such tail pieces 4|) being in effect extensions ofthe side walls which serve two purposes; one as handles for theoperating member 32, which handles are a greater distance from thefulcrum point 3B to measurably assist the ease of operation of saidmember 32, and secondly, the connecting end 4| of the extension servesas a stop in limiting counter-clockwise movement of the member 32 inplug-raised position. The bridge wall may extend in common to the walls33, 3'4 and their extensions 40, to such an extent that the cross edge4| of the bridge wall at the distal end of the operating member 32 is sorelated to the guide sleeve or bushing 23 as to cooperate therewith toform a limit stop in the lowered position ofthe operating member asshown in Figures 2 and 4.

When they are. at rest upon the top of guide sleeve 23 the lobes 46 aredesigned so that they will lie (Figure 2) slightly beyond the centervertical plane of the stem 29 which passes through the fulcrum pin. 36opposite from the side to which the edge 4| of the member 32 contactsstem 23 so that. the action of the member 32 is similar EQ 81 toggleaction to assure that the latter will remain in plug-open operatingposition.

In Figure 4 this cross edge 4| is in a right line but in Figure 5 theedge 4| a is concave in relation to the cylindrical guide sleeve 23 to tarcuately thereabout throughout a desired circumferential area.

In that form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive thebridge wall 35 may be knurled over all the desired portions of its uppersurface or scorings 42 may be made externally on this bridge wall forenabling the thumb or finger of the operator to take better frictionalhold in the rotation of the member.

Or as shown in Figure 5 such scorings 43a mayv be made upon the sidewalls 33 and 34.

Or as shown in Figure 6, in place of the scorings, the side walls 33 and34 may have piercings, holes or perforations 43 made therein of a roundor other form. These piercingsY may assume various shapes in harmonywith the shape of the handle of the member which operates the cam. Theopenings in the side walls afford an excellent grip upon the handle,especially when ones hands are soapy and slippery.

In Figure 5 the cross edge 4|aL of the handle of the operating memberthat abuts the hollow guide sleeve 23 carried by the basket is ofarcuate concave form so that this end of the handle will conform to thediameter of the hollow sleeve 23 and nest therein when in a downposition. This arrangement immeasurably improves the construction andparticularly prevents foreign matter from being caught underneath theoperating handle and accidentally tripping the same.

The plug valve 28 preferably carries dependent guide legs 44 spacedapart circumferentially to permit the passage of water therebetween; andthese guide legs are each of a predetermined arcuate length, asindicated in Figure l. The outer arcuate surfaces of these legs 44 arestruck on a smaller circle than that of the reduced neck il ofthe bowlinto which they t but ribs 45 outstanding from intermediate portions ofthe guide legs 44 and of substantially reduced circumferential length ascompared with the circumferential lengths of the legs, are positioned tosuch a -distance as to t freely and slidably within the reduced neck l1.These ribs reduce the area of frictional contact between the movableparts of the plug 20 and the wall but at the same time serve as ampleguides in cooperation with such wall Il, at the same time making use ofthe greater area and the greater strength of the guide legs 44 toreinforce both the smaller ribs 45 and the relatively Wide plug 20.

The 4reinforced ribs 45 and guide legs 44 constitute a guide means belowthe horizontal plane of the plug 2|]i for ensuring the verticalreciprocating movement of the plug. In like manner the stem 2| andsleeve 23 perform a similar function above the plane of the plug 2D. Asshown in Figure 2 when the plug 20 is fully raised the ribs 45 remain inengagement with the internal wall of the reduced neck I1. The basketunit is held against a tilting action by reason of the ribs 45 on legs44 engaging the reduced wall at al1 times and the fact that the rim 25of the basket is resting within groove 26.

The legs 44 and ribs 45 subserve a further function in cooperation withthe flanged rim 25 of the basket strainer in its relation to the recess26 of the bowl I6 because, in order to prevent the basket 22 with theattached plug 20 from being improperly seated when assembling the unitinto the body or bowl I5, the plug is'provided with the four ory otherdesired number of depending guide legsv 44 to guide the plug intoposition. The length of the legs 44 and ribs 45 are such that they stillremain within the perimeter of the reduced neck |1 of the body when theplug is lifted to open position as shown in Figure 2. The presenceofthese legs does somewhat restrict. the port area of the valve.

However, in Figures 7 and 8 these legs 44 and ribs 45 have been omittedfrom the plug 2lia whereby the drainage can flow uniformly under the'plug throughout all circumferential points without requiring diversionbetween the legs or between the legs and the reduced neck |1. However tosolve the problem of centering the unit whereby the basket flange 25properly seats in the recess 26, the basket 22 itself has beenredesigned 'sov as to bring other contact points thereof into engagementwith the body or bowl I5. The cylindrical side wall of the basket 22a isformed with a series of inclined oblong drain openings 41. At equallyspaced diametrical points the straps between these openings 41 areforced outwardly into rounding projections or bosses 48 constructed andarranged to engage against the inner wall of the body or bowl |5. Thusthe basket 22a has two spaced contact zones with the body |5. One zoneis provided circumferentially and horizontally by the flanged rim 25 inits cooperation with the bowl recess 26, while the other contact is alsoin a horizontal plane spaced below that of the flanged rim 25andprovided at arcuately spaced points by the-bosses 48. These bosses 48in combination with the flanged rim 25 in their relation to the samemember, namely the bowl I5, stabilize the basket 22a in its enteringmovement into the bowl and in its nal static position within the bowl inwhich these two elements 48 and 25 contribute to stabilize the sleeve 23which is a guide mem.- ber for the stem 2| and hence for the plug 2) sothat the stability and rigidity of the fixed guide sleeve 23 is animportant function of the device from an operational standpoint.

In the operation of lthe device, Figure 2 shows the open and Figure 3the closed positions of the plug 20. These two positions are achieved bythe simple rotation of the operating member 32 about its horizontal axis36 and the handle member with its rounded bridge wall 3=5 is welladapted to this simple rotational movement. By rotation of the member 32in a counter-clockwise direction the lobes or high points 46 of the camsare withdrawn from the shoulder or head end 3| of the guide sleeve 23thus enabling the plug 20 to fall by its weight through the force ofgravity and the head of any water lying above same in the bowl or sink.The stem 2| and shank 29 are drawn down with the valve and to the sameextent is the operating member 32 sliding on its curved edges 31 to theleft of the lobes 46 and entailing the counter-clockwise rotation of theoperating member 32 about its pin 36. Thus the operating member bothdescends and is rotated on the downward closing motion of the plug 20.The cam edges 31 are so defined to the left of the contact point asshown in Figure 3 that these edges retreat upwardly away from theshoulder 3| so as to give free play to the plug 20 in accommodatingitself to its seat I8.

In the raising movement of the operating member 32 the cut away portions39 afford access to' the iingers and thumb of the operator givinggreater hold andl device.

purchase in lifting the that very small angle necessary to shift thelobes 45 off the toggle lock position shown in Figure 2. In the raisedposition of the plug the lobes 46 are beyond dead center and have to beshifted through dead center in dropping the plug into operatingposition. In this plug-open position the weight of the entrained partsassists automatically'to lock the valve in its upper open position.

In Figure 3 the rounded bridge wall 35 is exposed directly upwardsthrough a great area of arcuate length for receiving the hand or thumband this is the most appropnate position for` imposing weight downwardlyupon the handle which is such bridging wall 35 reinforced by the rightangular side wall extensions 46. Thus the weight of4 the lingers andhand and of the arm of the operator can be imposed directly downwardlyupon this outstanding bridge wall 35 in the act of clockwise rotatingthe operating member 32 about its pivot 36 from the position of Figure 3to that of Figure 2'. The knurlings or stampings 42, 42a'or thepiercings 43 afford good grip for the operation of the member 3'2. Thehandle is simply shoved down as far as possible in the act of openingthe plug 20, such operating member y being automatically arrestedclockwise rotation when the cross edge 4| or its alternate 4| impingesagainst the side wall of the sleeve 23. The contacting position of thecross edge and sleeve isso angularly related to the lobes 46 as that thecircular movement of the operating device 32 will be arrested just afterreaching toggle lock position.

The stem 2| and shank 29 may be considered as one in thatl they are botha movable guide cooperating with the stationary guide 23, 3|.

Although it is not essentialthat it be in that form, the bridge wall 35advantageously is in a curved surface with its center or generatingpoint somewhat generally in the line passing `between the pin 36 and thecross edge 4|.

The legs 44 and ribs 45 are so constructed that the ribs 45 are alwaysin engagement with the restrictive drain opening of the body member,even when the stopper is in open position. This is in order to preventthe basket or entire unit from tipping at any time.

It is obvious that various changes and modications may be made in thedetails of construction and design of the above specifically describedembodiment of this invention without departing from the spiritthereof,such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use with a sink drain bowl or the like having a drain outlet, abasket strainer in the bowl, a 4plug below the strainer to close andopen the drain outlet, xed and movable cooperating guides for thestrainer and plug respectively, an operating member for the plug, saidmember pivoted to the guide member and comprising a formed shell ofU-shape in cross-section providing substantially parallel side wallswith a connecting wall of general arcuate form in longitudinal section,the distal edges of said walls forming cam surfaces coacting with thefixed guide for moving the plug relative to the basket strainer, and theedge of said connecting wall removed from the pivot axis of saidoperating member being of a shape complemental to the shape of the Suchforce as required to lift the oper-y ating member 32 is only momentaryand through in its4 xed guide and adapted to snugly t thereagainst whenthe operating member is in plug-open position. Y

2. A plug and basket strainer unit for sinks and the like comprising ahollow substantially Vertical guide member xed to the strainer, areciprocating substantially vertical guide member projecting up from theplug and extending through and above said xed guide member, an operatingmember pivoted to the upper end portion of the reciprocating guidemember above the xed guide member in such relation as to oscillate in asubstatially vertical plane, and a handle for said operating member,said operating member and its handle comprising side Walls and a curvedbridge all connecting said side walls, said side walls aving cam loweredges slidable upon the upper Fdge `portion of said fixed guide member,said cam edges having high lobes adapted to cross the verticalcenterline of the reciprocating guide member in the fully open positionof the plug and form a cam lock with the pivot center, said curvedbridge wall carried upwardly of the operating member in the down closedposition of the plug, said bridge wall having at the free end of thehandle a cross edge adapted to encounter as a stop the side wall of thexed guide member in the cam lock position of the operating member.

3. The combination claimed in claim 2 characterized by the fact thatside Walls immediately adjacent the cam lobes and between such lobes'and the free edge of the curved bridge Wall are recessed so as not tostrike any part of the hollow xed guide member, with said walls havinggripping means thereon.

4. The combination claimed in claim 2 wherein the strainer has an upperedge engaging a body shell and projections spaced below said upper edgefor also engaging the body shell to stabilize the strainer againsttilting movement incident to the lateral thrust developed when rotatingthe handle and operating member.

5. The combination according to claim 4 in which the upper edge of thestrainer fits into a recess in the body shell, and the projections ofthe strainer are pressed out of the side wall of the strainer betweenpairs of diagonally-disposed. slits.

6. A plug and basket strainer for sink drains and the like comprising ahollow guide member fixed to the base of the strainer, a stem xed tosaid plug and slidably operated in said guide member, the terminal endof said stem extending through and above said guide member, and anoperating member pivoted to the upper terminal end of said stem andhaving a cam face merging into a high point cam lobe and also anextending handle, said cam surface coacting with the free edge portionof said guide member to raise said plug relative to said basket upontilting action of said operating member, thedesign of said operatingmember being such that said cam lobe is carried over beyond dead centerof said guide member when one end of said handle engages the side Wallof said guide member asa stop and thereby serving to maintain said plugin open position relative to said sink drain.

PATRICK F. DONAHUE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,096,969 Tukey May 19, 19141,763,864 Robertson June 17, 1930 2,107,126 Pasman Feb 1, 1938 2,236,884Zinkil Apr, 1, 1941 2,296,527 Kuhnle Sept. 22, 1942 2,336,132 SiegelDec. 7, 1943

